A/N: I really, really didn't think I was going to write a sequel. But, well… I did. Just so you know, this isn't going to be the same kind of story that 'Seventeen' was. 'Seventeen' was a love story, but this is going to be about the war. It begins just two years after our pups left Hogwarts.

Disclaimer: JKR owns 'em.

Warning: This story contains a SLASH pairing (Remus/Sirius).

Rating: T – for allusions to violence and slash. (The overall M rating is for later chapters.)

I had an awesome time writing 'Seventeen' and I have to say, I'm really enjoying writing this too. I really hope you guys aren't disappointed at all.

Oh, and this chapter will be the shortest by far. So don't worry, the chapters will get longer.

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Chapter One: Desperation

Remus opened his eyes gingerly and then quickly shut them again, the world instantly spinning around him. His mind registered that he was lying on a cold stone floor and he could vaguely feel the weight of metal chains around his ankles. The pain he felt was almost unbearable. The agonizing transformation from man to wolf that he endured each month paled in comparison. For a brief second, he almost longed for the stillness of death.

After a few moments of internal struggle he opened his eyes again, this time attempting to keep them open as he blinked his surroundings into focus.

He was lying in the corner of a small room. The walls and floor were of solid stone and other than the heavy chains that fastened him to the floor, there was nothing except a barred window and a sturdy wooden door. He tried to remember how he had come to be there and immediately wished he hadn't. The fight came back to him full force – the image of the hooded figures laughing as they shot unforgivable curses at innocents, James trying to hold off two death eaters at once while he held a bleeding Lily in his arms, Sirius being surrounded and outnumbered – his heart froze. Oh, God, Sirius!

Remus sat up straight, wincing as he tried to ignore the pain that was coursing through his body. What had happened to Sirius? He thought frantically, trying to remember what had happened next. All he could come up with, however, was white hot pain and then darkness.

Oh God, he silently prayed, hoping like he never had before that someone was actually listening, please let him be alive. Please let him be safe.

& & &

"What's the count?" James asked, not bothering to look up. He was crouched in front of his girlfriend, focused on trying to tend to her numerous wounds. Though clearly in pain, Lily was doing her best not to cry out. She merely gripped James's hand as he mended the deepest of her cuts.

"Nearly twenty dead." Sirius informed him in a remarkably calm voice, knowing instinctively that the question had been directed at him. "And one… missing."

"Missing?" James repeated, so startled that he looked up at Sirius.

Sirius's face was contorted with a mixture of worry and grief and a rage more intense than James had ever seen. The look in his best friend's eyes made his heart seize up. He suddenly realized that Sirius's calm demeanor was just a façade created to hold himself together. There was something else wrong. Something worse than twenty dead bodies.

"They've taken Remus." Sirius said quietly. "They've taken him alive."

& & &

After a while, he lost track of time. The slow darkening of the light from the window and the beat of his own heart were the only ways he could be sure time was passing at all. Twice he had tried to stand up, but the intense pain and the chains around his ankles prevented him from accomplishing his goal. He was beginning to think his leg was broken. Maybe a couple of ribs, as well.

In the distance beyond his door, he began to hear the soft click of shoes meeting stone. They grew louder and faster as the person drew nearer to the cell. But before he could even register what was happening or what he could do, the door slid open, revealing a young death eater with his hood pulled down low over his face.

Obviously, Remus couldn't see his expression, but the young man's body language gave away his surprise at seeing Remus awake. He slid the door closed and simply stood in the corner of the room, near the window, as if unsure of what to do. Apparently, he had been expecting to find his charge unconscious.

"Why am I still alive?" Remus managed to ask in a hoarse whisper, his words startling the newcomer even more. But after a slight glance, the man merely turned his gaze to the window, not answering him. Remus sighed as he leaned his head back against the wall, resigning himself to the fact that he wasn't going to get any information out of this particular death eater.

"It's probably because you're a werewolf." Came the abrupt and honest answer a few minutes later, causing Remus's eyes to shoot open again. "They think they might be able to turn you."

The voice was quiet, but Remus thought he could hear a trace of bitterness and regret. He realized that this was not the average death eater and his heart leapt, latching on to a sudden small hope. But even more than that, he was almost positive that he had heard the voice somewhere before.

"I know what you're thinking." The young man continued, still gazing out the window. "But you won't be able to trick them. They have… ways of guaranteeing loyalty."

This time the bitterness was much more profound and all at once Remus knew where he had heard the voice before. His mouth opened in silent protest at the revelation, but no words came out.

Finally, after several more minutes of silence, Remus managed to whisper, "Regulus?"

& & &

"Listen, Padfoot, you need to calm down." James said urgently, pulling his friend away from the crowds of aurors and medi-wizards so they could have a chance to talk.

"Calm down?" Sirius spat back at him. "You want me to calm down?"

James sighed, absentmindedly taping up his own injured arm. It was one of the affects of training to be a healer for almost two years – those kinds of things were second nature to him now.

"I know what you're going through, Sirius, but –"

"Oh really?" Sirius shot, cutting him off. "Did they take Lily?"

"No, of course not." James replied, even though he knew the question had been rhetorical. He threw his hands up in the air in a gesture of defeat. "Okay, maybe I have no idea what you're going through, but you've got to think with your head, mate! You can't just storm off fueled only on adrenaline. I care about him too, okay? We just need a solid plan. I mean, you don't even know where they are! They could be halfway across Britain by now."

Sirius slumped down into a nearby chair, James's words hitting him like a heavy blow to the chest. He knew that James was right, but that didn't stop him from feeling utterly useless. Moony needs me, he thought angrily, I can't just sit around here and do nothing!

& & &

As soon as he had spoken, the hood came off, revealing Remus's assumption to be correct. He'd never been more sorry to be right in his entire life.

"What?" Regulus asked, raising his eyebrows in defiance. "Surprised to see me here, Lupin?"

"Yes." Remus admitted faintly.

Even after everything Sirius had told him about his family, Remus couldn't believe his little brother was here in this place, associated with these people. That must have been where he went after he left Hogwarts, he realized, wondering if his involvement had started even earlier.

"Thank God your brother can't see you like this." Remus said almost silently, picturing Sirius's shocked and hurt expression.

"Sorry, I didn't catch that." Regulus returned evenly, his face twisted with annoyance, obviously assuming he'd somehow just been insulted.

Instead of repeating himself, however, Remus cautiously asked Regulus if he knew what had happened to Sirius. He tried to make the question come out calm, but he could hear the desperation in his voice.

Regulus merely stared at him, not even his expressive eyes giving away what he was thinking at that moment.

"Please." Remus begged, knowing how pathetic he sounded but not particularly caring. "I blacked out from the cruciatus. Just tell me what happened to him, please."

Regulus sighed.

"He's not here, if that's what you're asking. You were the only one they brought alive." Seeing the look on Remus's face, he added, "He's not dead, though, as far as I know."

Remus let out a breath he didn't even know he'd been holding.

"Thank God." He whispered in relief, his words coming out in a half-sigh, half-sob.

Regulus seemed to study him for a moment as if debating whether or not to speak again.

"You're not just roommates, are you?" He asked finally, not meeting Remus's gaze.

Remus looked up, surprised at the question.

"What?"

"You and my brother." Regulus said, as if it needed clarification. "You're not just roommates."

"No." Remus agreed softly. "No we're not."

Regulus turned his gaze back to the window. Remus couldn't see his face, but he couldn't help but think that in profile the resemblance to his brother was striking.

"I thought as much," Regulus told him, once the silence has stretched out long enough for Remus to mistakenly believe that the conversation was over. "Ever since he came to see me fifth year after that whole thing with Snape finding out what you are. I'd never seen him so… desperate before. Especially for my help." (A/N: Regulus says 'fifth year' because he's speaking from his own perspective. Remus and Sirius were in seventh.)

Remus didn't know what to say. He'd never had a single conversation with Regulus before and now suddenly Sirius's little brother was holding his life in his hands.

He looked a little closer, noting how much older Regulus looked since the last time he'd seen him. He looked thinner, too – more careworn. Who am I kidding? Remus thought, finally tearing his gaze away from the younger boy, he's probably not even holding his own life in his hands anymore, let alone mine.

No, Remus wasn't naïve enough to think he could convince Regulus to help him. They were in the middle of a war and, for better or worse, they had both chosen their sides.

"None of it matters anymore, anyway." He heard himself say, eventually. "We both know I'm not going to make it out of this room alive. Am I?"

Regulus finally turned from the window, looking Remus directly in the eye and holding his gaze.

"No." He agreed, just a hint of regret in his voice. "No, you're not."

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Well, there you have it – the first chapter of the sequel. I'm actually really nervous about it, so reviews would be LOVELY.

Next chapter… Sirius turns to his old vices to help him deal with Remus's absence and Remus asks Regulus for a single favor.